Meningitis is the inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is usually caused by infection. It can be fatal and requires immediate medical care.
Meningitis can be caused by several species of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Most infections can be transmitted from person to person. Injuries, cancers and drugs cause a small number of cases.
Bacterial meningitis is the most common dangerous type of meningitis and can be fatal within 24 hours.
Meningitis can affect people of any age.
There are effective treatments and vaccines against some of the main bacterial causes of meningitis. However, meningitis remains a significant threat around the world.
There are four main causes of acute bacterial meningitis:
Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus)
Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus)
Haemophilus influenzae
Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus)
These bacteria are responsible for more than half of the deaths from meningitis globally and they cause other severe diseases like sepsis and pneumonia.
Other bacteria e.g., Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Salmonella, Listeria, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus, viruses such as enteroviruses and mumps, fungi, especially Cryptococcus, and parasites like Amoeba are also important causes of meningitis.
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